Antivibration device for vehicles.



No. 803,589. PATENTED NOV. '7, 1905. E. V. HARTFORD. ANTIVIBRATIONDEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1,1904.

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ANTIVIBRATION DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1905.

Application filed October 1, 1904. Serial No. 226,863.

To all who/1'1, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD V. IIARTFORD, a citizen of the United States,residing in New Yorkcity, county and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Antivibration Devices forVehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactspecification.

Vehicles of the ordinary type usually comprise suitable running-gear, asuspended or body portion, and elastic suspending means, generally oneor more springs between the running-gear and body portion, the object ofthis construction being to prevent the vibration of the running-gearcaused by the inequalities or obstacles in the road from beingcommunicated to the body or suspended portion. The springs used for thispurpose when possessing sufiicient elasticity to successfully preventthe transmission of vibration, however, are found to possess theattendant disadvantage of a quick recoil by reason of this veryelasticity, causing a violent oscillation of the body, sometimessufficient to materially interfere with the speed and generally causingthe rapid deterioration of the vehicle. To prevent this disagreeablevibration of the springs, means have been devised for retarding theiraction, and the most successful method employed has been the use of afriction device interposed in such a way that the springs are permittedto oscillate, but reluctantly. One such device consists of twofriction-disks having radial arms attached thereto, one of which arms isattached to the vehicle-body and the other to the axle thereof; but suchdevices having a uniform tension are not wholly successful in theiroperation, for the reason that while they will respond to anyconsiderable oscillation such vibrations as are caused by a smallobstacle or inequality in the road are not suliiciently powerful toovercome the friction, thus causing olting and producing discomfort tothe occupants of the vehicle, and it is to overcome this objection thatmy present improvement is designed. Generally it will be found that theslight vibrations will be sufficiently taken care of by the springs andit is only the greater ones that need be attended to. My presentimprovement, recognizing this feature, consists in an antivibrationdevice which comprises friction means for retarding the action of thesprings of a vehicle, but which permits of a small limited free movementthereof, the friction device being brought into operation only when theoscillation of the springs exceed a given predetermined amount.

My invention may be utilized and applied in various ways, and in theaccompanying drawings I have illustrated but one form thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my device asattached to the body and running-gear of a vehicle. Fig 2 is a rear viewof the device upon a somewhat enlarged scale; Fig. 3, a plan view of thetop of the disk shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4, a sectional view of thedevice, taken on lines x m of Fig. 2 and showing its interior detailedconstruction.

Similar reference-numerals indicate like parts in all the drawings.

In Fig. 1 the numeral 1 indicates the body portion of the vehicle. 2indicates the axle forming part of the running-gear of the same, and 3 aspring forming the elastic suspension means between the body and therunninggear. In this figure my invention is shown applied as in use, andit comprises the re cessed disk 4, the disk 5 of such a size as to fitin the recessed portion thereof, leaving sufficient space for theinsertion of the friction material 6, which may be leather, fiber,rubber, or any other suitable material. The disks are secured togetherby means of the bolt 7 and the nut S, the latter being locked in placeby means of the adjustable sleeve 9. The said parts are generallysimilar to the construction shown in United States Letters Patent No.743,995, granted to J. M. M. Truflault November 10, 1903, and need notbe more particularly described herein. The nut, as will be seen, isseated upon a leather or fiber washer 10 and is adapted, in connectionwith the bolt 7, to adjust the tension between the disks to any desireddegree. To the disk 5 is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured the arm orlever 11, by means of which it is adapted to be attached to the runninggear or body portion of the vehicle, suitable connecting means beingprovided such, for instance, as is shown in the patent above mentionedand adjacent to the disk 4 is mounted the other arm 1.2 in any suitablemanner, such as shown, where one end is pivoted on the stud or bolt 7,it being permitted to rotate around such stud in the operation of thedevice. Upon the outer surface of the disk f and rigidly secured theretoor formed integral therewith are the lugs 13 and 1 1, between which thearm 12 is permitted a small or limited free movement; but by means ofthese lugs any movement of the arm beyond the predetermined amount willproduce a movement of the disk 4, and thereby turn the friction-disk.

In operation, as will be readily understood, my device will permit alimited relative movement of the running-gear and body of the vehiclewithout any relative change of position, and therefore operation of thefricti0n-disks, the arm 12 rocking on its pivot within the limits of thelugs 1.3 and 14;; but any considerable oscillation causing a largermovement of the springs will cause the arm 12 to contact with one of thelugs of the disk 4 and turn the same, and thus brake or retard theoscillation of the spring in the manner desired.

It is obvious that many modifications and changes may be made in myinvention without departing from the spirit thereof, and I do not intendto limit myself to the particular form or embodiment shown in thedrawings; but A What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vehicle, comprising running gear, a suspended portion andelastic supporting means between said running-gear and suspendedportion, an antivibration device comprising non-elastic means forpermitting of a limited free movement of the supporting means, but whichoperates to retard the recoil thereof beyond the limit of free movement,substantially as described.

2. In a vehicle comprising running-gear, a suspended portion and elasticsupporting means between said running-gear and suspended portion, africtionally-operated antivibration device, which, while permitting of alimited free movement of said supporting means, operates to retard themovement thereof'beyond the limit of free movement, substantially asdescribed.

In a vehicle comprising running-gear, a suspended portion and elasticsupporting means between said running-gear and suspended portion, anon-elastic antivibration device which, while permitting free movementof said supporting means to a limited extent, operates to retard therecoil thereof beyond that point, and means for adjusting the resistanceof the retarding means, substantially as described.

. 4. An antivibration device for vehicles comprising a friction deviceand an arm for operating the same, said arm being capable of a limitedmovement without operating said friction device, substantially asdescribed.

5. An antivibration device for vehicles comprising a friction device anda plurality of arms attached thereto, one of said arms adapted to moveon said device to a limited extent without operating the frictiondevice, substantially described.

6. An antivibration device for vehicles comprising a friction devicepossessing a plurality of arms one of which is connected to thesuspended body of said vehicle and the other to the running-gear, one ofsaid arms being adapted to have a limited movement upon said frictiondevice, without operating same, substantially as described.

7. An antivibration device for vehicles comprising twoconnectedmembers,movable relatively to each other and a frictionsubstance between said members, anv arm rigidly secured to one of saidmembers and a second arm adapted after a limited amount of free motionto engage projections on the other member and to move said member,substantially as described.

8. An antiviln'ation device for vehicles employing a supporting-springbetween the parts relatively movable to each other, said antivibrationdevice comprising frictional means between the parts, which provide ayielding resistance to movement, and retard the action of the spring andmeans whereby the parts of the vehicle may have a slight movementrelative to each other without operating the said frictional means,substantially as described.

9. An antivibration device comprising friction-disks rotatable around acommon center, a fixed arm secured to one of said disks and a second armmounted so as to have a limited free movement but to engage and operatethe other of said disks beyond this limited movement, and means forsecuring the friction-disks in operative position, substantially asdescribed.

1.0. An antivibration device comprising friction-disks rotatable arounda common center, a fixed arm secured to tone of said disks and a secondarm mounted so as to have a limited free movement but to engage andoperate the other of said disks beyond this limited movement, andadjustable means for securing the friction-disks in contact with. eachother, substantially as described.

1.1. An antivibration device comprising a recessed friction-disk, asecond disk adapted to be seated in said recess, means for adjustablyclamping the friction-disks in operative position, an operating-armrigidly secured to one of said disks and a second arm mounted adjacentto the other of said disk and adapted to have a limited free movementbut to engage lugs on said disk and move the same when operated beyondsaid limit of movement, substantially as described.

12. An antivibration device comprising a recessed friction-disk, asecond disk located within said recess, friction material locatedbetween said disks, adjustable clamping means comprising a bolt and.nut, friction In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in thepresence of two SUbSGIlblIlg 1o wltnesses.

EDWARD V. HARTFORD.

\Vitnesses ADoLPH F. DINsE, A. O. FISCHER.

